
T. S. DENISON Sc COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS CHICAGO 



DENISON'S ACTING PLAYS 

Partial List of Successful and Popular Plays. Large Catalogue Free. 
Price 15c each. Postpaid, Unless Different Price Is Given 



DRAMAS, COMEDIES, 
ENTERTAINMENTS, Etc. 

M. F. 

Aaron Boggs, Freshman, 3 

acts, 2% hrs....v (25c) 8 8 

After the Game, 2 acts, V/4. 

hrs. (25c) 1 9 

All a Mistake, 3 acts, 2 hrs. 

(25c) 4 4 

American Hustler, 4 acts, 2}^ 

hrs ,(25c) 7 4 

Arabian Nights, 3 acts, 2 hrs. 4 5 
As a Woman Thinketh, 3 acts, 

2^ hrs (25c) 9 7 

At the End of the Rainbow, 3 

acts, 2J4 hrs (25c) 6 14 

Bank Cashier, 4 acts, 2 hrs. 

(25c) 8 4 

Black lleifer, 3 acts, 2 hrs. 

(25c) 9 3 

Brookdale Farm, 4 acts, 2J4 

hrs (25c) 7 3 

Brother Josiah, 3 acrs, 2 hrs. 

(25c) 7 4 

Burns Rebellion, 1 hr (25c) 8 5 

Busy Liar, 3 acts, 2J4 hrs. 

(25c) 7 4 

College Town, 3 acts, 2%, 

hrs (25c) 9 8 

Corner Drug Store, 1 hr. 

(25c) 1714 

Danger Signal, 2 acts, 2 hrs.. 7 4 
Daughter of the Desert, 4 

acts, 2^ hrs (25c) 6 4 

Down in Dixie, 4 acts, 2V^ 

hrs v25c) 8 4 

Dream That Came True, 3 

acts, 2%. hrs (25c) 6 13 

Editor-in-Chief, 1 hr. . . . (25c) 10 
Enchanted Wood, 1 54 h.(3Sc).Optnl. 
Everyyouth, 3 acts, 1 ^ hrs. 

(25c) 7 6 

Face at the Window, 3 acts, 2 

hrs (25c) 4 4 

Fascinators, 40 min (25c) 13 

Fun on the Podunk Limited, 

1% hrs (25c) 9 14 

Heiress of Hoetown, 3 acts, 2 

hrs (25c) 8 4 

High School Freshman, 3 acts, 

2 hrs (25c) 12 

Honor of a Cowboy, 4 acts, 2^ 

hrs (25c) 13 4 

Indian Days, 1 hr (50c) 5 2 

In Plum Valley, 4 acts, 2% 

hrs (25c) 6 4 

Iron Hand, 4 acts, 2 hrs.. (25c) 5 4 
Tayville Junction, \Vz hrs. (25c)14 17 
Kingdom of Heart's Content, 3 

acts, 2% hrs (25c) 6 12 

Lexington, 4 acts, 2J4 h..(25c) 9 4 



M. F. 

Light Brigade, 40 min (25c) 10 

Little Buckshot, 3 acts, 2J4 hrs. 

(25c) 7 4 

Lodge of Kye Tyes 1 hr.(25c)13 
Lonelyville Social Club, 3 acts, 

1/2 -hrs (25c) 10 

Man from Borneo, 3 acts, 2 

hrs (2Sc) 5 2 

Man from Nevada, 4 acts, 214 

hrs (25c) 9 5 

Mirandy's Minstrels (25c) Optnl. 

New Woman, 3 acts, 1 hr 3 6 

Old Maid's Club, lYz hrs. (25c) 2 16 
Old Oaken Bucket, 4 acts, 2 

hrs (25-) 8 6 

Old School at Hick'ry Holler, 

\M hrs (25c) 12 9 

On the Little Big Horn, 4 acts, 

21/2 hrs (25c) 10 4 

Out in the Streets, 3 acts, 1 hr. 6 4 
Prairie Rose, 4 acts, 2}^ hrs. 

(25c) 7 4 

Rustic Romeo, 2 acts, 2^ 

hrs (25c) 10 12 

School Ma'am, 4 acts, 1^ hrs. 6 5 
Scrap of Paper, 3 acts, 2 hrs.. 6 6 
Soldier of Fortune, 5 acts, 2V2 h. 8 3 
Southern Cinderella, 3 acts, 2 

hrs (25c) 7 

Third Degree, 40 min (25c) 12 

Those Dreadful Twins, 3 acts, 

2 hrs (25c) 6 4 

Tony, The Convict, 5 acts, 2i/4 

hrs (25c) 7 4 

Topp's Twins, 4 acts, 2 h.(25c) 6 4 
Town Marshal, 4 acts, 2^^ 

hrs (25c) 6 3 

Trip to Storyland, Mi hrs. (25c) 17 23 
Uncle Josh, 4 acts. 2^ hrs. (25c) 8 3 
Under Blue Skies, 4 acts, 2 

hrs (25c) 7 10 

Under the Laurels, 5 acts, 2 hrs. '6 4 
When the Circus Came to 

Town. 3 acts, 2'/^ hrs. (25c) 5 3 
Women Who Did, 1 hr. . . (25c) 17 
Yankee Detective, 3 acts, 2 hrs. 8 3 

FARCES, COMEDIETAS, Etc. 

April Fools, 30 min 3 

Assessor, The, 10 min 3 2 

Baby Show at Pineville, 20 min. 19 

Bad Job, 30 min 3 2 

Betsy Baker, 45 min 2 2 

Billy's Chorus Girl, 25 min... 2 3 

Billy's Mishap. 20 min 2 3 

Borrowed Luncheon, 20 min.. S 

Borrowing Trouble, 20 min.... 3 5 

Box and Cox, 35 min 2 1 

Case Against Casey, 40 min... 23 

Convention of Papas. 25 min.. 7 

Country Justice. 15 min 8 

Cow that Kicked Chicago, 20 m. 3 2 



T. S. DENISON & COMPANY, Publishers. 1 54 W. RandolphSt. . Chicago 



REMINISCENCES OF THE 
DONATION PARTY 



THE SOLILOQUY OF A MINISTER'S WIFE 
WITH TABLEAUX 



BY 

JESSIE A. KELLEY 

AUTHOR OF 

'The Peddlers' Parade/' ''Village Post Office," "Scenes in a 

Restauvani'' "Miss Prim's Kindergarten," "Taking 

the Census in Bingville" Etc., Etc. 




CHICAGO 

T. S. DENISON & COMPANY 

Publishers 



REMINISCENCES OF THE 



DONATION PARTY 



Characters. 



?:;'^- 



(Named in order of their appearance.) 



Minister's Wife 

Mrs. Atherton 

Crazy Jane 

Deacon Bridges 

Mrs. Harlow 

Cook 

Tom 

Rob 

Mrs. Stubbs 

Carl Hamilton 

Edythe Alycl 

Smythe 
Mr. Swift 
Mrs. Swift 
Miss Smith kins 
Mrs. Horne 
Joe Stone 

Number of characters optional, 
he omitted. 



Mrs. Eldredge 
]\Iiss Hayes 
Hiram Weather- 
bee 
Choir 

]\Irs. Reubens 
Camp Fire Girls 
Boy Scouts 
Mrs. Hoxie 

Bemis 

Alley 

Baker 
Aunt Doleful 
Eliza Taber 
Mrs. Merrill 
AND Girls 



I\riss 
Mrs. 
^Frs. 



Old Doctor 
Young Doctor 

AND Daughter 
Ushers 
]\Irs. Price 
James Eraser 
Mrs. Sargent 
Janitor 
Lucile Foster 
Willis Jenkins 
Mrs. Simonds 
Mr. Hapgood A::r 

Nurse 
Daisy Atwater 
Quartette 



// desired, many can 



Scenery not necessary. Can be played on any platform. 



Time of Playing — About Thirty-five Minutes 



COPyRIOHT. 1910, BY EBEN H. NORRIS. 

2 



^AK 24iaib ©C'^ ^^^^'' 



REMINISCENCES OF THE DONATION PARTY 3 

DIRECTIONS. 

A curtain may be used if convenient, but if not, the en- 
tertainment can very readily be given without one, the char- 
acters taking their places as minister's wife sees them in 
imagination — a moving panorama of living objects. A little 
thought will readily adapt matters. Take for instance Mrs. 
Hoxie, she could bring in her chair and pan of apples as 
if she were settling herself for work at home; the nurse 
could bring in chair, then help patient seat himself, and 
offer food. Any desired characters may be omitted. Care 
should be taken that everything is in readiness and that 
there are no delays in the appearance of the characters. A 
good reader is essential. The Minister's Wife should be 
seated, near front, at side of stage, and should appear to be 
indulging in a reverie without noticing the characters. She 
may have a, copy of the play in her lap, not seen by the 
audience, if she does not have time to memorize the part. 
There is a curtain near back of stage and in stage directions 
where it states the character "appears," the curtain is 
raised and it is lowered at directions of ''curtain," giving the 
next character time to take his place. If produced with- 
out curtain, the characters may enter from one side and 
exit at the other side of the stage. 



CHARACTERS AND COSTUMES. 

Minister's Wife — A neatly dressed, middle-aged 
woman. 

Mrs. Atherton — Real old lady, white hair, black dress, 
white fichu, lace cap. She is reading a Bible. 

Crazy Jane — Very old style dress, huge skirt, enormous 
bustle, large bonnet and fan. She fans vigorously, nods, 
stops fanning, wakes, fans vigorously again, nods again, 
drops fan, grabs it, fans, etc. 

Deacon Bridges — Old gentleman with cane, very smiling. 

Mrs. Harlow — A very fashionably dressed lady using 
lorgnette or monocle. 

Cook. Large woman, short calico dress with sleeves 
rolled to the elbows, apron, big boots, hair combed tightly 



4 REMINISCENCES OF THE DONATION PARTY 

back from forehead and twisted into a hard, protruding- 
knot, rolling pin held in threatening manner in one hand, 
other hand on hip, very defiant manner. 

Tom and Rob — Overalls, shirts and caps, dirty faces; 
one holdino- little kitten, the other watching it intently. 

Mrs. Stubbs — Wash dress with big, white apron and 
white sweeping cap. She may be either churning, skim- 
ming milk or molding the butter into prints. 

Carl Hamilton — Ordinary suit or dress suit. 

Edythe Alyce Smythe — Dressed in the extreme of style, 
very narrow skirt, high heeled shoes, abundance of false 
hair, jewelry, etc. Hands clasped and eyes rolled as if she 
were going into ecstasies over something. 

Mr. and Mrs. Swift — Mrs. Swift, bridal dress, veil and 
bouquet. Mr. Swift, dress suit. They are arm in arm. 

Miss Smithkins — Little lady, very quietly dressed, bon- 
net and shawl. Very timid, shrinking manner. 

Mrs. Horne — Very calm, dignified woman in ordinary 
dress, with hat on. Holds gavel as if ready to call the 
meeting to order. 

Joe Stone — Ragged shirt, pants hanging by one suspen- 
der, holes in knees, safety pins instead of buttons, shoes 
unlaced, hat with crown off and hair sticking through. 
Leans on hoe as if too lazy to stand up. 

Mrs. Eldredge — Seated in rocking chair, knitting, cat in 
lap if possible. Dark wool dress, very plain, with apron. 

Miss Hayes — Ordinary dress, small white apron, book in 
one hand, pointer in other. Might have class of children 
with books open as if hearing a reading lesson. 

ITiRAM Weatiierbee — Rather loud, sporty costume with 
goggles and automobile cap. 

Choir — A vested choir if possible. If not, ordinary at- 
tire. 

Mrs. Reubens — Motherly looking woman with big apron, 
spectacles, plain dress, sewing patch-work or holding up 
partly finished patch-work quilt. 

Camp Fire Girls — Dark skirts, white middy blouses. 
One holds armful of wood, one on knees beside pile of 
wood as if lighting fire, one holding aloft a torch. In 



REMIXISCE.XXES OF THE DONATION PARTY S 

places where this society exists one could wear the Fire 
Gatherer's costume, which is very picturesque. 

Boy Scouts — Khaki suits and hats. While scout oath is 
being" read each boy holds up his right hand, palm to the 
front, thumb resting- on nail of little finger and the other 
three fingers upright and together. The three fingers thus 
held and raised to the forehead is the scout salute. 

Mrs. Hoxie — Rather old-fashioned dress and apron, hair 
parted in middle and combed down over ears ; basket of 
apples at side, pan in lap, busily engaged stringing apples. 

Miss Bemis — Extremely mannish attire, very oratorical 
attitude, as if delivering- speech. 

Mr. Rivers — Business suit. Child might appear with 
him, wave hand violently, he nod to her, she step forward, 
hesitate, put finger in mouth, then look up at him. 

Mrs. Alley and Mrs. Baker — Ordinary attire with hats 
on, one putting something in barrel, the other critically 
looking over some garment — might measure length of some- 
thing by holding from nose to finger tips. Apparently asks 
the other one's advice, nods and gesticulations. 

Aunt Doleful — Very thin woman, mournful expression, 
hands folded in lap, head bowed, little shawl over shoul- 
ders — everything as doleful looking as possible. 

Eliza Taber — Active, energetic woman in grotesque 
street attire, hand up, finger raised, lips moving as if she 
were retailing a choice bit of gossip. 

Mrs. Merrill and Girls — Costumes to suit their enter- 
tainment. 

Old Doctor — A^enerable looking personage, taking pa- 
tient's pulse or temperature. 

Young Doctor and Daughter — Overcoat, hat, gloves, 
medicine case. Little girl in street clothes apparently talk- 
ing earnestly to her papa. 

Ushers, with collection plates or boxes. 

Mrs. Price and James Eraser — Haughty appearing 
woman in street dress. James, black suit. Mrs. Price comes 
in with ear trumpet much in evidence. James follows 
closely, watching suspiciously. As she lifts her trumpet he 



6 REMINISCENCES OF THE DONATION PARTY 

touches her arm and shakes fini^er at her warningly. She 
i^ives him a haughty look. 

Mrs. Sargent — Middle-aged woman in house dress, 
apron and spectacles, basket of rags beside her, either braid- 
ing rags or sewing braids onto a mat. 

Janitor — Blouse, overalls and cap, broom, dust-pan, etc., 
in hands. 

LuciLE Foster — Cap and gown, studyiiv;- from book 
held in hand. 

Willis Jenkins — Loud, showy suit and hat, trousers 
turned up very high, high collar, cane, cigarette, etc. Might 
take small mirror from pocket to adjust necktie. 

Mrs. Simonds — House dress and apron. May be rolling 
pie crust or pressing together edges of pie held in hand, 
pricks holes in top or marks it in some way. 

Mr. Hapgood and Nurse — Dressing gown and slippers. 
Nurse, nurse's costume. She offers him something ; he is 
arigry, does not want it ; she insists : he finally takes it, then 
throw himself back in chair very sullenly. 

Daisy Atwater — White or light dress, flower hat, para- 
sol. Young man might come in after she had been in a 
minute and stand beside her. 

Quartette — Ordinary costumes. 



I 



REMINISCENCES OF THE DONATION 
PARTY 



Scene — A Iking room or any platform. Scenery not 
essential. 

^Iinister's Wife. There, onr annual donation party is 
over and I can't truly say I'm sorry. We surely have some 
of the dearest people in our parish and we also have — well, 
to say the least — some not so dear, but it takes all kinds to 
make a world, I suppose. That poor, tired husband of 
mine had to see ]\Iiss Smithkins safely home. It is a good 
two-mile walk there and back, but she is so timid she doesn't 
feel safe with anyone but her (imitates Miss Smithkins) 
"beloved pastor." Ho, hum. (Yawns. She sits in chair 
arranged for her). I'll sit down, rest a bit and think over 
the party while I'm waiting- for John. Let me think, who 
was here — Mrs. Atherton (Mrs. Atherton appears). She 
is truly the salt of the earth. What a comfort she is to 
John and myself ! So saintly ! Ready at all times to pour 
oil on the troubled waters and make peace. I always think 
of the Bible verse, ''Blessed are the peacemakers," in con- 
nection with her. She's an example to all, young and old, 
always on hand at every meeting, rain orf^iine, faith to be- 
lieve that everything is for the best, and always finds the 
encouraging thing in the midst of discouragements. Tlmv 
kind of her to bring me that nice new coat! (Curtain.) 
She knew I put the money I intended to use for a coat 
towards our missionary apportionment and I did need a 
new coat very much. Mrs. Jones is such a contrast. Crazy 
Jane, as the children call her. (Crazy Jane appears). I* 
don't wonder the young folks do snicker a little when she 
comes into church — invariably late and dressed in the style- 
of many years ago. She fans herself so vigorously*at first, 
then the fan begins to move more slowly, her head i^pds and 
nods, the fan falls out in the aisle ; that wakes her, she makes 
a wild dive for it, begins fanning rapidly again, only to re- 



%Ni 



8 REAriXTSCEXXES OF THE DONATION TARTY 

peat the program again and again throughout the service. 
(Curtain.) She brought some mince-meat, salter than the 
briny deep, and some sausage, sweeter than honey. Guess 
she mixed things up and thought as charity begins at home 
it would be better to give them to the minister than to make 
her own folks eat them. Well, I'm glad her poor hen- 
pecked husband escaped that much. An order for a barrel 
of flour from Deacon Bridges — that will come in handy. 
(Deacon Bridges appears.) He's an old dear — eighty years 
young. How plainly I seem to hear him as he speaks in the 
prayer meeting: ''The lines are fallen to me in pleasant 
places and I have a goodly heritage." A born optimist, al- 
ways seeing the bright side, and a great admirer of John's 
sermons. (Lauo^hs.) I heard him say to Mr. Alger after 
service last Sunday : "That certainly was a fine sermon and 
w^ell timed, too, well timed." "Huh," Mr. Alger grunted, 
"it certainly was well timed, fully half the congregation had 
their watches out." (Curtain.) 

Mrs. Harlow, our wealthy parishioner, sent me a pair of 
opera glasses. (Mrs. Harlow appears.) Well, I've the 
glasses, now I'd like the opera. I'm afraid it's like the 
woman who had the buttons for a dress and said now all 
she needed was the dress. Very nice of her to remember us, 
however. She is a real pleasant woman, but she does suf- 
fer a great deal for her belief — (laughs) believes she can 
wear a number two shoe on a number five foot. They live 
in great style. (Curtain.) Keep quite a retinue of servants 
and a "fireless cooker," as she calls herself. When ]\Irs. 
Harlow asked her why she called herself that, she replied, 
with fire in her eye (Cook appears) : "Becuz, mam, Oid 
dare aiyther you or yer husband to fire me." I would not 
Jike to try it. Mrs. Harlow gave a big dinner party which 
went ofif splendidly until they came to the salad course, 
which all left uneaten, so after the guests had gone, Mrs. 
Harlow went out to interview the "fireles3 cooker." "W^hat 
kind of salad was that you made for dinner, Hannah?" 
"Shure, mam, the lettuce didn't come so what did I do but 
use the laves from the palms in the reception hall. Shure, 
nobody could till the difference, I covered thim thick with 



REMINISCEXXES OF THE DONATION TARTY 9 

salad dressing." (Curtain.) (Listens.) I believe I hear that 
kitten crying. Poor little thing! Tom and Rob (Tom and 
Rob appear) were pretty cute. They tried to sell this kit- 
ten to Air. Sloan, our Baptist minister, yesterday and, as an 
inducement, told him it was a Baptist kitten, so when they 
brought it to me I said I didn't want a Baptist kitten. "Oh, 
it isn't a Baptist kitten," Rob says. "But you told Mr. 
Sloan yesterday it was," I said. Quick as a wink he said: 
"Yes, but it hadn't got its eyes opened then, now it has, 
and it's a Methodist kitten." (Change names of denomina- 
tions to suit). (Curtain.) I thought that speech was worth 
a quarter, so he sold the kitten. 

How good Mrs. Stubbs' butter does look and smell! 
(Mrs, Stubbs appears). She is a famous butter maker, 
and so immaculate. Can always relish anything she makes. 
Her cream is always skimmed at the proper time, her churn 
scalded, her milk pan bright and shining. Her butter isn't 
much like Mrs. Orr's. My, but her's is strong. (Laughs.) 
Expect the Orr's were awful mad wath Mr. Haydock. Mr. 
Orr was taking a load of stuff to market, some butter among 
the rest of things, and going up a hill the w^agon got stuck 
and the horse could not start it. "Hi, there," called out 
Mr. Haydock, "take your horse out of the shafts and put 
in your butter. It's strong enough to pull anything." (Cur- 
tain.) 

Some new music from Carl Hamilton ! How I shall en- 
joy that! He knows I'm a music lover as well as himself. 
His violin is very precious to him and he does play won- 
derfully well. (Carl Hamilton appears). He was tell- 
ing me the other day about playing a sonata at a church 
entertainment over in — (name tozvn). The sonata had 
several very long rests. In one of the rests a kind, moth- 
erly old lady, who thought he had forgotten, leaned over, 
patted his shoulder and said: "Never mind, sonny, play 
something you do know." How I love that piece (gives 
name of piece) he plays. I can hear it now. (Carl gives 
violin selection.) (Curtain.) How beautiful that is! 

Miss Edythe (spells), E-d-y-t-h-e, Alyce, A-1-y-c-e, 
Smythe, S-m-y-t-h-e, was here in all her glory and brought 



10 REMINISCENCES OF THE DONATION PARTY 

a pair of embroidered slippers. I might have known with- 
out looking. Sure to be something flowery. (Edythe 
Smythe appears.) She is such a gusher ! She knows better 
than to do it when her father is around though. She tried it 
when she first got home from boarding school, called him 
{imitates tone) her "superlative pa," and her mother her 
"lovely and consummate ma," raved about things being 
"symphonies, poems, exquisite, intense, rhymic bliss," etc., 
till he could stand it no longer and told her they hadn't any 
intention of raising a curiosity for the neighborhood and that 
there was going to be a stop put to this new-fangled foolish- 
ness, so after she'd finished eating that poem of a biscuit and 
that symphony of a sausage she could hustle upstairs, put 
on a calico gown and come down and do the dishes. {Cur- 
tain.) And she did. 

I'm so glad Mr. and Mrs. Swift, our newly weds, could 
come. They are such a fine young couple. She was such a 
beautiful bride (Mr. and Mrs. Swift appear) and he such 
a fine looking groom. Bobby asked me why a bride always 
wore white at her wedding and when I told him that white 
stood for joy and her wedding day is the most joyous occa- 
sion in a woman's life he thought a moment, then asked: 
"Why do all the men wear black?" {Laughs.) Don't be- 
lieve there was any necessity of Mr. Swift wearing black 
on that account. {Curtain.) If it had been Mr. Howard — 
well, that's another story. Mrs. Swift gave a lovely em- 
broidered table-cloth and napkins — some of her own ex- 
quisite work. I shall prize them very highly. 

Oh, I forgot to read the note Miss Smithkins had pinned 
on the new overcoat she brought John. I poked it in my 
pocket. Guess I'll read it now (Miss Smithkins appears) : 
"Our preacher is an excellent man and I hope the time 
will come when he will get a better salary and a new suit. 
Those who sit under him Sunday after Sunday ought to 
blush when they see him walk down the aisle. Preachers 
ought to be well paid. They are a neglected class and if 
something is not done soon there will be no preachers in 
all this broad land, and what will become of us? Where 
shall we go Sundays?" She hasn't courage to speak her 



REMINISCENCES OF THE DONATION PARTY 11 

mind so she wrote it — wish some more felt Hke that. (Cur- 
tain.) Well, he's got a new overcoat — suppose he might 
wear that over his old suit when he walks down the broad 
aisle. Mrs. Home, president of the Sewing Circle, makes 
up in self-confidence what Miss Smithkins lacks. (Mrs. 
HoRNE appears). She is the calmest woman I ever knew 
and she needs all her calmness to be president of our so- 
ciety. A good many dispositions to deal with and keep 
smooth. Nothing ever phases her. They do tell that Mr. 
Fox was driving near her home one day, and seeing the 
roof of her house ablaze, gesticulated and called wildly to 
her: ''Hey, your house is afire." She didn't understand, so 
asked again. ''Your house, your house is afire," he wildly 
screamed. "Oh, is that all," she calmly replied. "It's all I 
can think of just now," he weakly responded. (Curtain.) 
The Society sent me a fine supply of sheets, pillow cases 
and towels. They are fine workers. Don't know what 
we'd ever do without them. 

I've laughed till I cried over Joe Stone's gift. He's the 
most shiftless fellow I ever knew. (Joe Stone appears.) 
Just won't work. Has a nice little cottage and a piece of 
land his father left him and they might be so comfortable. 
John tried to get him started raising garden truck — told him 
the land was there, all ready and he'd give him seed and 
the necessary things to get started. "No use, pastor, no 
use," says he. "You see my wife is too all-fired lazy to do 
the plowin' and plantin'." I must read his poem again — 
it's too funny for anything. (Curtain.) (Reads.) 

"While bristles few there were upon 
This toothbrush getting soft as butter, 
We used it. Now that all are gone 
We give to you for paper cutter." 
His poetry is as choice as his gift. (Laughs.) 
(Mrs. Eldredge appears.) Dear old INIrs. Eldredge gave 
four pairs of nice warm socks she knit herself. Kind- 
hearted old soul as ever lived, but she does offend people so 
because she prides herself on speaking her mind. "Pooh," 
she always says, "I'm going to say what I think. If a thing 



12 REMINISCENCES OF THE DONATION PARTY 

ain't so I'm not i:i:oin' to say it is, be I?" Wonder how it 
would work to give her a dose of her own medicine. Some 
one took her a pie one day and next time they called she 
iri formed them that the inside of the pie was good, but it 
was mighty poor pie crust. "Were you short of lard and 
flour? Turrible thin and tough." {Curtain.) 

A new book from Miss Hayes, our school teacher, one 
John and I have both wanted for a long time. Think we'll 
try to read it aloud evenings. (Miss Hayes appears.) Miss 
Hayes is a very bright, young woman, always seems to 
know the right thing to do and say. Jimmy Townes thought 
he'd be funny one morning, so before school began he wrote 
on the board, ''Our teacher is a donkey." Miss Hayes 
simply added the word driver, making it read, "Our teacher 
is a donkey driver," and opened the school as usual. The 
laugh was on Jimmie, of course, no getting ahead of her. 
{Curtain.) 

They do say that Hiram Weatherbee, our confirmed bach- 
elor, is really quite smitten with her, and he has always de- 
clared he had no need of a wife. (Hiram Weatherbee 
appears.) His stock quotation, when anybody mentions 
marriage to him, is: "I have a peacock that is vain of its 
fine feathers, a goat that chews the rag, an aeroplane to 
keep me up in the air, and an automobile that keeps me 
broke all the time, so why do I want a wife?" It was funny 
when he was introduced to her. "I'm glad to meet you 
again, Miss Hayes," he said. "Again?" she replied, "have 
I met you before?" "Well, perhaps we haven't exactly met, 
but you tickled my chin with the feather in your hat for 
about an hour one day in the car." Rather think it will 
be a match. {Curtain.) 

What is this lump in my pocket? Oh, it's the roll of 
bills from the Choir. I must look out for that. Miss Prim 
asked me the other day if I wasn't afraid of microbes on 
bills. Not much fear of it with us, no microbe could live 
on our salary, and besides it would have to be a mighty 
lively microbe to hop onto me in the short time I can keep 
money. fCiroiR appears.) Very thoughtful of the Choir 
to send it. T don't believe our Choir is our "war depart- 



REMINISCENCES OF THE DONATION PARTY 13 

ment" as so many ministers find th.eir's. They did sing 
(names selection) splendidly last Sunday. (Choir sings 
some sacred selection.) {Curtain.) 

What a beauty that patch-work quilt was that Mrs. Reu- 
bens gave me ! One of her famous log-cabin quilts. Just 
think of the stitches in it! j\Iust take the patience of Job 
to make one. (Mrs. Reubens appears.) We all save our 
calico pieces for her and it's interesting to pick out a piece 
of this one's dress here and that one's dress there, somebody 
else's apron in another place. She seems pretty well now, 
but she did have quite a serious time with, her liver. One 
day she was alone with her little granddaughter and had 
a bad attack, so asked the little girl to put a hot flannel on 
it. The little girl knew her grandmother was in great dis- 
tress and didn't want to bother her with questions, but she 
had no idea where her grandmother's liver was, so she 
rushed to the telephone, called up Mr. Tibbetts, the butcher, 
and said : "Mr. Tibbetts, please tell me where Grandma's 
liver is. The folks are out and I've got to put a hot flan- 
nel on it, but I don't know where it is." (Curtain.) Sup- 
pose she thought as he was a butcher she was getting ex- 
pert advice. 

How sweet the Camp Fire Girls looked in their hiking 
and camping uniforms ! That is a fine organization and I 
feel it is going to do a great deal for our girls. (Camp 
Fire Girls appear.) If they obey the Law of the Camp 
Fire as they promise, it means a great deal. Each ap- 
plicant must know the object and requirements of the or- 
ganization, and at a meeting of the Council Fire announce 
her desire to become a Camp Fire Girl by repeating: 'Tt 
is my desire to become a Camp Fire Girl and to obey the 
Law of the Camp Fire, which is to seek beauty, give serv- 
ice, pursue knowledge, be trustworthy, hold onto health, 
glorify work, be happy. This law of the Camp Fire I will 
strive to follow." (Curtain.) If we ah would strive to 
follow those laws this would surely be a better world to 
live in. 

Then our Boy Scouts, what manly little fellows it makes 
of them. Already I can see a great improvement in our 



14 REMINISCENCES OF THE DONATION PARTY 

boys, and how can it be otherwise, when we read of their 
work and pledge? (Boy Scouts appear.) Their motto is, 
"Be prepared," and the scout oath: "On my honor I will 
do my best : 

"1. To do my duty to God and my country, and to obey 
the scout law. 

"2. To help other people at all times, 

*'v^. To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake 
and morally straight." 

According to scout laws, which all promise to obey, they 
must be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, 
kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. 
I'm afraid the older folks couldn't do all the things required 
of the Tenderfoot, to say nothing of Second or First Class 
Scouts. I love to watch them salute their officers. (Cur- 
tain.) 

Who else was here? Let me think. Oh, Mrs. Hoxie. 
She brought dried apples enough to last us all winter, and 
they are good. (Mrs. Hoxie appears.) I believe she en- 
joys stringing them as well as we enjoy eating them. She's 
one of the real old-fashioned women who believe home is 
woman's sphere, and she has not any use for the suffra- 
gettes. I asked her one day if she wouldn't like to vote. 
"No, I certainly wouldn't," she replied, "I say, if there is 
one little thing that the men folks can do alone, for good- 
ness sake, let them do it." (Curtain.) 

Xot much like Miss Bemis (Miss Bemis appears.) She 
says women have a right to vote and she is going to shiver 
the shackles that have bound women down, that men may 
cook and take care of the babies, but woman must look 
to higher things, that they are to be man's slave no longer, 
and that soon the only woman man can dictate to will be his 
stenographer. (Curtain.) Suppose I shall have to read 
that book she gave me on "Woman's Rights." 
^ Charles Rivers, our Sunday School superintendent, found 
time to run in a few minutes. He's doing fine work — good 
discipline, fine leader for opening exercises and singing, and 
loved by all the children. (AIr. Rivers appears.) He can 



REMINISCENCES OF THE DONATION PARTY 15 

tell a good many amusing stories about the children. One 
Sunday after they had been studying about Moses in the 
bulrushes he asked someone to volunteer to come to the 
platform and tell the story. One little girl wildly waved 
her hand, so he allowed her to come forward. She stood 
still a moment, then turned to him and said : ''Gee ! I wish 
I'd kept still." (Curtain.) 

The Missionary Society was well represented. (Mrs. 
Baker and Mrs. Alley appear.) Mrs. Alley, the presi- 
dent, and Mrs. Baker, the treasurer, were both here. How 
enthusiastic they are about our missionary work and how 
many barrels they have packed to send to the missionaries. 
Our missionary apportionment is a problem (sighs), we find 
so many who are opposed to foreign missions. They evi- 
dently forget that the command was to go into all the 
world to preach the gospel. Some don't use much judg- 
ment in their gifts, I must admit. There was old Mrs. 
Hobson, who sent a dozen alarm clocks to be sent to the 
people in Africa — said she'd read how they were afflicted 
with the sleeping sickness there and she reckoned these 
alarm clocks would wake them, for she'd bought the loud- 
est ones she could find. (Curtain.) 

Aunt Doleful was doleful as usual, and to cheer me up 
a bit, brought along a pamphlet entitled, "Be Prepared for 
the Worst." I always am when I see her coming, she 
sure's to tell you all the disagreeable things she can think 
of (Aunt Doleful appears), that your husband looks as 
if he were going into consumption, your baby doesn't grow 
well, your dress is a wretched fit, your carpet is terribly shab- 
by, and a whole string more of woes. She is a born pessimist. 
I went to see her once when she was sick and I thought of 
every bright thing possible to try to cheer her up and make 
her smile, but all to no efifect. I couldn't make her smile. 
Finallv I told her perhaps her sickness was a blessing in 
disguise. ''Well, if it is," she growled, ''it's the cleverest 
disguise I ever saw." Poor creature, perhaps she can't help 
it, but I'm glad I don't have to live with her. (Curtain.) 

She's almost as bad as Eliza Taber, our town gossip 
(Eliza Taber appears), otherwise known as Busybody, 



16 REMINISCENCES OF THE DONATION PARTY 

Snoop, Human Encyclopedia and Mrs. Sherlock. What she 
doesn't find out is beyond finding out. She knows how 
much rent everybody pays, how often Jones and his wife 
quarrel, where Billy Nye gets his drink, what families pay 
their bills and what ones don't, the amount spent for food 
and clothes by each person in the neighborhood, what people 
live on canned goods and bakery food. My, it must keep 
her busy tabulating her knowledge. (Curtain.) My, Fm 
gossiping away all to myself. Let me think who else was 
here. Oh, Mrs. Merrill and her dear class of girls. There's 
sure to be good things in the big box they brought. (Mrs. 
Merrill and Girls appear.) They are an unusually bright 
class and are learning much practical Christianity. They 
gave such a delightful little drill (change name to suit) at 
our Fair last week — I seem to see them now. (Girls give 
little drill, song or anything preferred.) (Curtain.) 

Oh, hum, Fm getting sleepy, guess Fll try the "comfy" 
new chair from our dear old doctor. (Old Doctor ap- 
pears.) What years of devoted service he has given to our 
people, ready to answer calls at all times of the day and 
night, perhaps the more imperative the call and the more 
unearthly the time, the least chance of getting his fee. He 
could tell you of the depths of human ingratitude, but he 
could also tell of the goodness and self-sacrifice of which 
men and women are so often capable. He is the family 
friend who has brought his patients into the world, cared 
for them in times of sickness and comforted them when 
death entered the family circle. (Curtain.) 

Now we have a young doctor, but I expect he'll have a 
hard time at first — people are slow to try young doctors, 
but his little daughter intends to help her papa. (Young 
Doctor and Daughter appear.) She has an eye to busi- 
ness all right. She told her mother she must call on Mrs. 
Ray, who is a newcomer to town, at once. "Why must I 
call on her at once?" asked her mother. "Well," explained 
the daughter, "she's got three of the scrawniest-looking 
kids I ever saw, and Mrs. Ray doesn't look very well her- 
self. There ought to be some business there for papa." 
( Curtain. ) 



REMINISCENCES OF THE DONATION PARTY 17 

I'll have some of those nice eggs for breakfast (Ushers 
appear) that the ushers brought — dozens of them. Think 
the poultry fever must be contagious for the ushers all seem 
to have it. Hope these eggs aren't like the ones Susan 
Hodges brought me once. Said one of her hens had stolen 
a nest and her boy found it with fourteen eggs in it, and 
she didn't know as they were real fresh, so she thought she'd 
give them to me. They zvere fresh — fresh chicken in every 
one of them. One of the ushers told Mrs. Jason, who used 
to be a very irregular attendant, but who never misses a 
service now, that he was delighted to see her at church so 
regularly. "Yes, I never misses a service now. Fact is, I 
had a quarrel with my old man and he hates to have me 
come to church, so I comes just to make him savage." (Cur- 
tain.) 

James Fraser, our new Scotchman, is a valuable addi- 
tion to our force of ushers, but he did make a dreadful 
mistake last Sunday (James Fraser and Mrs. Price ap- 
pear.) I can't help laughing whenever I think of it. Mrs. 
Price did look so indignant. The ear trumpet she brought 
to church was evidently a new article to James. I noticed 
when he ushered her to her seat, that he looked at it sus- 
piciously, and when she started to raise it, he couldn't stand 
it, so in a stage whisper which could be heard all over the 
church, he said : "Madam, one toot and you're oot." (Cur- 
tain.) Evidently thought she'd brought a horn to church. 
Someone asked ^Ir. Fraser's little daughter what he did for 
a living now and she told him : "He takes up the collec- 
tion in church, you know." 

(Mrs. Sargent appears). What fine braids and smooth 
work Mrs. Sargent puts into her rugs, and they are sewed 
so firmly that they never rip. I wonder how many rugs 
she has braided in her lifetime — quite a number. It's her 
hobby. She loves to do that as some women love to crochet, 
read or play cards. She's a real artist in color combinations 
too, seems to know just w^hat ones to put together to get 
the best efifect. This will be just the size to put in front of 
the desk. I noticed the other day the carpet was getting 



18 REMINISCENCES OF THE DONATION PARTY 

quite shabby there and no knowing when we'll ever have 
a whole new car])et. (Curtain.) 

Here's the card that came with the barrel they left out- 
side — a barrel of vegetables from the janitor. (Janitor ap- 
pears.) He has a fine garden and takes great pride in it, 
tells some pretty big stories about the things he raises. The 
vegetables will come in mighty handy. Think I'll have a 
real old-fashioned boiled dinner tomorrow. John is very 
fond of it. We do keep our janitor busy. It's *'Mr. Allen, 
will you do this?" and "Mr. Allen, will you do that?" till 
I wonder the poor man doesn't go crazy. Plenty of janitor 
work in our modern churches, with all the different societies 
holding meetings day and evening, but he's always helpful 
and pleasant. {Curtain.) Says he'll keep them fired up 
below if John vv'ill above. 

How sweet those roses smell ! From our college friend, 
Lucile Foster. (Lucile Foster appears.) She gradu- 
ates from Wellesley this year and is wearing her cap and 
gown now. Looking very sweet in them, too. She's plan- 
ning to teach, but I don't believe she will very long if Harry 
Rogers has anything to say about it. Harry hasn't been 
to church for a long time so when John met him on the 
street the other day he asked him if he didn't attend a 
place of worship. "Yes, indeed, every Sunday night," he 
replied. "I'm on my way to see her now." He did look 
rather discouraged when he heard the Wellesley seniors had 
voted not to marry a man unless he earned at least five 
thousand dollars a year, but John told him not to worry, 
there'd be big mark-down sales after graduation, and I 
rather guess there will. (Curtain.) 

Willis Jenkins wrote a nice little note. (Willis Jenkins 
appears.) He's away at college, getting a liberal educa- 
tion and his father is staying home, getting a lesson in lib- 
erality. I judge Willis is a good boy but quite a spender. 
His father wTote him that he must cut some of his lux- 
uries and Willis wrote back that he'd begin by cutting; 
classes. Willis makes me think of the verse, "They toil 
not, neither do they spin, yet Solomon in all his glory was 
not arrayed like one of these." (Curtain.) 



REMiNlSCE.\'CES OF THE DONATION PARTV 19 

I wish John would get home. Tni tired and sleepy, and 
hungry, too, I believe. A piece of Mrs. Simonds' pie would 
taste good. (Mrs. Simonds appears.) My, how good 
they do look ! Her crust is so flaky and delicious. I love to 
watch her make pies, she does it all so deftly and easily, 
tosses on the crust, fills it, puts on the top crust trims it 
off and finishes with her little fancy border. Wonder what 
kind of pies she brought. She marks them all T. M. — 
T. M. for Tis Mince, and T. M. for 'Taint i\Iince— so it's 
a little hard to tell which is which until you cut them. Guess 
we'll have a piece of one of them when John gets back. 
{Curtain.) What a lot of nice things we did have. Even 
Mr. Hapgood sent something. I was surprised at that, for 
he's just getting over an operation fpr appendicitis and is 
crosser than a iDcar. (Mr. Hapgood and Nurse appears.) 
He says he isn't sure yet whether it was appendicitis or pro- 
fessional curiosity. His nurse is having an awful time 
with him, he is so irritable. He wants to eat more than he 
ought, and got so eross the other day when he wanted some- 
thing before it was time. She finally gave him a table- 
spoonful of gruel. He looked at it contemptuously, ate it, 
then said : ''Now, I want to read. Bring me a postage 
stamp." Men are terribly hard creatures to get along with 
when they're sick. Makes me think of a little boy's poem 
I read once. I remember the first verse was : 

''When Pa is sick, i 

He's scared to death, 

An' Ma an' us 

Just holds our breath." 

Let me sec, I've forgotten all the rest except the last 
stanza : 

"An' peace an' joy 

Is mighty skeerce — 
\\Tien Pa is sick 

It's something fierce." (Curtain.) 

Have I thought of all who were here? Oh, Daisy At- 
water. (Daisy Atwater appears.) She is pretty as a pic- 
ture and she did look perfectly stunning at the lawn party. 



20 REMIXISCENCES OF THE DONATION PARTY 

They say she and Georg-e Bailey are eng-aged. Some one 
overheard her at the party say to him : "George, dear, has 
an octopus really got eight arms?'' He said he believed 
so. "Wouldn't it be nice, George, dear, if you were an 
octopus?" He came j^retty near losing her though. He's 
very particular about his laundry, and the work didn't suit 
him, so he wrote a note to the laundry, and one to Daisy 
at the same time. The laundry note he sent by mistake to 
Daisy and she was some mad when she read: 'Tf you 
crumple my shirt bosom as you did last time, I'll go some- 
where else." (Curtain.) Explanations were in order and 
peace finally restored. 

I'm so glad the quartette came. John did put his foot in 
it most awfully that Sunday. They all happened to be ab- 
sent with colds. (Quartette appears.) In explaining their 
absence to the congregation he said : "Provrdence having 
seen fit to afflict all our quartette with bad colds, let us 
heartily join in singing, Traise God from Whom All Bless- 
ings Flow.' " The resignations of the entire number were 
handed in next morning" and it required a good deal of di- 
plomacy and persuasion to make them understand it was un- 
intentional. Wq do have a fine quartette. I love to hear 
them sing. (Otartette <^h>e some selection.) {Curtain.) 

Oh, I'm dreadfully sleepy! I do wish John would come. 
Listen ! I hear him now. I'll run and let him in and we'll 
talk over the Donation Party while we're eating some of 
Mrs. Simonds' pie. (Front curtain drops or The Min- 
ister's Wive exits.) 



DENISON'S ACTING PLAYS 

Price 15 Cents Each, Postpaid, Unless Different Price Is Given 



M. F. 

Documentary Evidence, 25 min. 1 1 

Dude in a Cyclone, 20 min.... 4 2 

Family Strike, 20 min 3 3 

First-Class Hotel, 20 min 4 

For Love and Honor, 20 min.. 2 1 

Fudge and a Burglar, 15 min.. 5 
Fun in a Photograph Gallery, 

30 min 6 10 

Great Doughnut Corporation, 

30 min 3 5 

Great Medical Dispensary, 30 m. 6 

Great Pumpkin Case, 30 min.. 12 

Hans Von Smash, 30 min.... 4 3 

Happy Pair, 25 min 1 1 

I'm Not Mesilf at All, 25 min. 3 2 

Initiating a Granger, 25 min.. 8 

Irish Linen Peddler, 40 min... 3 3 

Is the Editor In? 20 min... 4 2 

Kansas Immigrants, 20 min... 5 1 

Men Not Wanted, 30 min 8 

Mike Donovan's Courtship, 15 m. 1 3 

Mother Goose's Goslings, 30 m. 7 9 

Mrs. Carver's Fancy Ball, 40 m. 4 3 
Mrs. Stubbins' Book Ageni- ^0 

min 3 2 

My Lord in Livery, 1 hr.... 4 3 

My Neighbor's Wife, 45 min.. 3 3 

My Turn Next, 45 min 4 3 

My Wife's Relations, 1 hr 4 6 

Not a Man in the House, 40 m. 5 

Obstinate Family, 40 min 3 3 

Only Cold Tea, 20 min 3 3 

Outwitting the Colonel, 25 min. 3 2 

Pair of Lunatics, 20 min 1 1 

Patsy O'Wang, 35 min....... 4 3 

Pat, the Apothecary, 35 min.. 6 2 

Persecuted Dutchman, 30 min. 6 3 

Regular Fix, 35 min,-., 6 4 

Rough Diamond, 40 min. 4 3 

Second Childhood, 15 min.... 2 2 

Smith, the Aviator, 40,miii... 2 3 

Taking Father's Place, 30 min. 5 3 

Taming a Tiger, 30 min 3 

That Rascal Pat. 30 min 3 2 

Those Red Envelopes, 25 min. 4 4 
Too Much of a Good Thing, 45 

min 3 6 

Treasure from Egypt, 45 min. 4 1 

Turn Him Out, 35 min 3 2 

Two Aunts and a Photo, 20 m. 4 

Two Bonnycastles, 45 min.... 3 3 

Two Gentlemen in a Fix, 15 m. 2 

Two Ghosts in White, 20 min . . 8 

Two of a Kind, 40 min 2 3 

Uncle Dick's Mistake, 20 min.. 3 2 

Wanted a Correspondent. 45 m. 4 4 

Wanted a Hero, 20 min 1 1 

Which Will He Marry' 20 min. 2 8 

Who Is Who? 40 min . . 3 2 

Wide Enough for Two, 45 min. 5 2 

Wrong Babv, 25 min 8 

Yankee Peddler, 1 hr 7 3 



VAUDEVILLE SKETCHES, iVION- 
OLOGUES, ETHIOPIAN PLAYS. 

M. F. 

Ax'in' Her Father, 25 min 2 3 

Booster Club of Blackville, 25 m.lO 

Breakfast Food for Two, 20 m. 1 1 

Cold Finish, 15 min 2 1 

Coon Creek Courtship, 15 min. 1 1 

Coming Champion, 20 min 2 

Coontown Thirteen Club, 25 m.l4 

Counterfeit Bills, 20 min 1 1 

Doings of a Dude, 20 min.... 2 1 

Dutch Cocktail, 20 min 2 

Five Minutes from Yell Col- 
lege, 1 5 min 2 

For Reform, 20 min 4 

Fresh Timothy Hay, 20 min.. 2 1 

Glickman, the Glazier, 25 min. 1 1 

Handy Andy (Negro), 12 min. 2 

Her Hero, 20 min 1 1 

Hey, Rube! 15 min 1 

Home Run, 15 min 1 1 

Hot Air, 25 min 2 1 

Jumbo Jum, 30 min 4 3 

Little Red School House, 20 m. 4 

Love and Lather, 35 min 3 2 

Marriage and After, 10 min.. 1 

Mischievous Nigger, 25 min.. 4 2 

^listaken Miss, 20 min 1 1 

Mr. and Mrs. Fido, 20 min 1 1 

Mr. Badger's Uppers, 40 min. 4 2 

One Sweetheart for Two, 20 m. 2 

Oshkosh Next Week, 20 min.. 4 

Oyster Stew, 10 min 2 

Pete Yansen's Gurl's Moder, 10 

min. 1 

Pickles for Two, 15 min 2 

Pooh Bah of Peacetown, 35 min. 2 2 

Prof. Black's Funnygraph, 15 m. 6 

Recruiting Office, 15 min 2 

Sham Doctor, 10 min 4 2 

Si and I, 15 min.. 1 

Special Sale, 15 min 2 

Stage Struck Darky, 1 min ..21 

Sunny Son of Italy, 15 min.. 1 

Time Table, 20 min 1 1 

Tramp and the Actress, 20 min. 1 1 

Troubled by Ghosts, 10 min... 4 

Troubles of Rozinski, 15 min.. 1 

Two Jay Detectives, 15 min.. 3 

Umbrella Mender, 15 min 2 

Uncle Bill at the Vaudeville, 

15 min 1 

Uncle TeflF, 25 min 5 2 

Who Gits de Reward? 30 min. 5 1 



A great number of 

Standard and Amateur Piays 

not found here are listed in 

Denison's Catalogue 



T.S.DENISON&COMPANY,Publishers,154W.RandolphSt., Chicago 



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are found 
books touching 
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Finely made, 
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DIALOGUES 

All Sorts of Dialogues. 

Selected, fine for older pupils. 
Catchy Comic Dialogues. 

Very clever; for young people. 
Children's Comic Dialogues. 

From six to eleven years of age. 
Dialogues for District Schools. 

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Thirteen selections. 
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Over 50,000 copies sold. 
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Dialogues and recitations. 
Humorous Homespun Dialogues. 

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Little People's Plays. 

From 7 to 13 years of age. 
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Merry Little Dialogues. 

Thirty-eight original selections. 
When the Lessons are Over. 

Dialogues, drills, plays. 
Wide Awake Dialogues. 

Brand new, original, successful. 

SPEAKERS, MONOLOGUES 

Choice Pieces for Little People. 

A child's speaker. 
The Comic Entertainer. 

Recitations, monologues, dialogues. 
Dialect Readings. 

Irish, Dutch, Negro, Scotch, etc. 
The Favorite Speaker. 

Choice prose and poetry. 
The Friday Afternoon Speaker. 

For pupils of all ages. 
Humorous Monologues. 

Particularly for ladies. 
Monologues for Young Folks. 

Clever, humorous, original. 
Monologues Grave and Gay. 

Dramatic and humorous. 
The Patriotic Speaker. 

Master thoughts of master minds. 



The Poetical Entertainer. 

For reading or speaking. 
Pomes ov the Peepui. 

Wit, humor, satire, funny poems. 
Scrap- Book Recitations. 

Choice collections, pathetic, hu- 
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14 Nos., per No. 25c. 



poetry. 



DRILLS 

The Best Drill Book. 

Very popular drills and marches. 
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Drills that sparkle with originality. 
Little Plays With Drills. 

For children from 6 to 11 years. 
The Surprise Drill Book. 

Fresh, novel, drills and marches. 

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Monologues, dialogues, drills. 
Children's Party Book. 

Invitations, decorations, games. 
The Days We Celebrate. 

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Good Things for Christmas. 

Recitations, dialogues, drills. 
Good Things for Thanksgiving. 

A gem of a book. 
Good Things for Washington 

and Lincoln Birthdays. 
Little Folks' Budget. 

Easy pieces to speak, songs. 
One Hundred Entertainments. 

New parlor diversions, socials. 
Patriotic Cejebrations. 

Great variety of material. 
Pranks and Pastimes. 

Parlor games for children. 
Private Theatricals. 

How to put on plays. 
Shadow Pictures, Pantomimes, 

Charades, and how to prepare. 
Tableaux and Scenic Readings. 

New and novel; for all ages. 
Twinkling Fingers and Sway- 
ing Figures. For little tots. 
Yuletide Entertainments. 

A choice Christmas collection. 

MINSTRELS, JOKES 

Black American Jokei;. 

Minstrels' and end men's gags. 
A Bundle of Burnt Cork Comedy. 

Monologues, stump speeches, etc. 
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